Misguided

Chapter 4: Setback

Tanya huffed as she screened Jamal's phone call for another time. Apparently, he couldn't take a hint.

For the past few weeks she had been ignoring his calls and texts and was tempted to put him on the block list.

Angry was an understatement. She could not believe that she invested all this time into a married man! She knew better than this and was definitely past that stage of her life. She wasn't trying to experiment with anyone, and knew what she wanted out of a relationship. One of her biggest pet peeves is for people to omit information while courting someone, because they don't want the truth to affect their pursuit.

By leaving out the reality of his situation, Jamal had taken away her choice on whether she would date him or not, and made it for her. She was irate. Now, she felt as if the foundation of the whole relationship was built on a lie.

The crazy thing was, she couldn't just disregard her feelings and negate the fact that she felt strongly for him.

She hadn't shared the shock of her newly discovered revelation with anyone, leaving her to cope on her own. She refocused her energy on frequent trips to the gym and indulging in retail therapy.

Tanya was never big on disclosing issues in her relationships. She would at least wait to see how things played out. If they happened to end badly, she used it as a learning experience and shared with others. She learned a long time ago that people will always dwell on all the negative things you tell them and harbor disdain if you chose to work on your situation.

Tanya shook her head as she thought about this weekend, and the surprise she had planned for Jamal's birthday that was now ruined. Instead of going out with him, she would be accompanying Ciara to their favorite spot. They never went out very often, but visited Upper Level whenever they did.

Stepping off the treadmill, Tanya wiped the sweat from her brow and grabbed her gym bag. She needed to go home and get ready, so she wouldn't be late.

Ciara met up with Tanya at her house, where they caught an Uber. Twenty minutes later, they arrived at the nightclub.

They were both dressed casually, but definitely to impress. It was no surprise that men and women did a double take when the pair walked by.

Tanya wore a black off the shoulder top with flowy sleeves that stopped right above the elbow, and was tucked into a pair of white high waisted shorts. She put on her Steve Madden beige colored wedges, because they would be the most comfy pair of shoes that added a little height. She had her usual straight hairdo, parted down the middle and accessorized with a pair of her dangly earrings, a gold bangle, and Coach wristlet.

She was complemented by Ciara, who wore a deep blue chiffon romper with long sleeves and had a gold belt around the waist. Her feet were bedecked in a pair of Betsey Johnson nude colored flats. She wore her naturally curly afro, and a pair of gold and white, flower shaped studs and a gold chain link ring bracelet duo. She didn't feel like carrying any purse, and opted to use her phone wallet case instead.

Tonight was Island Vybz night, and they planned for a turn up.

They hadn't been in the club for a good half an hour before Ciara chose to question her friend. She knew Tanya well, and could tell that she seemed a little distant.

"You good, T?" She asked.

"Yeah, I'm straight Cee." Tanya responded. She didn't want her to pry, so she grabbed her hand and pulled her to the bar to order a round of shots.

One round turned into four, and they started feeling themselves. They made their way to the dancefloor to enjoy the rest of the night.

Tanya noticed a familiar figure standing near the clubs entrance. Not wanting him to notice her, she turned in the opposite direction and moved her placement to blend in with the rest of the crowd.